Impending Relationship Milestone Alert: How I'm Preparing to Go Away With My BF For the First Time

This Sunday, SM and I are hitting a relationship milestone: We're taking our first vacation together. That's seven days of interrupted "us" time (although we'll be with another couple and their kids). I have to admit I'm in the midst of a minor inner-meltdown, which is possibly a toxic mix of fear and excitement. Honestly, I'm much more nervous about going away with him than I was when I took my booty-call to Jamaica.

In the interest of appeasing my own anxieties about our upcoming trip, I put together a list of reminders in hopes that they might be of help to y'all, too.

__1. Pack lightly:__This is a troublesome area for me. In case you don't know, I moonlight as a travel writer so one would think I had this sorted out. Not so. But this weekend, I am making every effort to NOT bring three changes of clothes a day and three more pairs of shoes than I'll ever wear. However, one thing I have learned is to bring a small kit with things you never THINK you need, but are always psyched to have—acetaminophen, bite cream, baby wipes, lube (ya never know) and vitamins to wipe out any signs of a cold.

2. Go with the flow: Sometimes the planner in me takes over, and I get a bit dictator-like when it comes to exploring. We'll be staying with his friends who I barely know, and who have been vacationing on the island for eons, so best if I just chill and enjoy the surroundings.

3. Go on a sex bender: Finally. I don't care if we ever leave the house. This is how day one is going to go if I have my druthers: eat, swim, sex, swim, sex, eat, sex, swim, eat, sex, bathe.

4. Turn off the phone: SM is not a huge fan of the interweb, which is ironic since it's an essential part of my livelihood. And while I can't leave my computer at home (I'd miss you too much), I've decided to shut down the iPhone. It's not even coming with me. I think.

__5. Be adventurous:__This is the first time SM and I have had a chance to be "outdoorsy" together. What if he's disappointed that I'm not that great a swimmer or I'd rather walk through fire than go scuba diving? Give me a paddle board and a snorkel and I'm game, but I will not strap a tank to my back and crawl on the ocean floor.

6. Pencil in time apart: I think this is the week I take up running. Seven days together is enough to turn me into someone who "goes for jogs." I told y'all about my intimacy issues. I wasn't kidding.

Have you ever vacationed with a boyfriend? How was it? What did you learn that you wish you knew beforehand? Do you have any "first trip" tips?